If you are a fan of baseball, you may have heard of the Savannah Bananas, a team that has taken the sport by storm with their fun and innovative approach. But how much do they earn for their entertaining and successful baseball?
In this article, I will write about the Savannah Bananas, a baseball team that has become a sensation on social media and beyond. I will cover their salary, net worth, earning career, personal life, and how much they make for each game. I hope you enjoy reading this article and learn something new about the Bananas.
The Savannah Bananas are an exhibition baseball team based in Savannah, Georgia. They were founded in 2016 by Jesse and Emily Cole, who own Fans First Entertainment, a company that aims to create the best fan experience in the world. The Bananas play at Grayson Stadium, a historic ballpark that dates back to 1926. The team competes in the Coastal Plain League, a summer league for college players, as well as in their own Banana Ball World Tour, where they play against their rival team, the Party Animals, and other challengers.
The Bananas are not your typical baseball team. They are known for their outrageous entertainment, which includes dancing players, a dad bod cheerleading squad, a senior citizen dance team, a breakdancing first base coach, a banana pep band, and many more stunts and surprises. The team also has its own spin on the rules of baseball, called Banana Ball, which features a two-hour time limit, no walks, no bunting, no mound visits, and fans catching foul balls for outs. The Bananas have been featured by ESPN, The Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated, and other media outlets for their unique approach to the game.
But how much do the Bananas make for their fun and innovative baseball? How do they compare to other baseball teams in terms of salary and net worth? And what are some of the personal stories behind the players and staff of the Bananas? In this article, I will answer these questions and more.
Baseball team Savannah Bananas Salary
The average salary for Savannah Bananas employees is around $84,616 per year or $41 per hour. The highest earners in the top 75th percentile are paid over $95,929. Individual salaries vary depending on the job title, department, location, education level, skills and experience of the employees. Some of the highest paying jobs at Savannah Bananas are President ($655,002), Director of Partner Services ($165,560), Director of Marketing ($145,523), and Director of Entertainment ($108,753). Some of the lowest paying jobs are Video Production Coordinator ($35,408), Merchandise Assistant ($46,142), Grill Manager ($47,279), and Broadcast Producer ($49,492).
However, these salaries do not include the bonuses and incentives that the Bananas offer to their employees. For example, every employee receives a share of the merchandise sales revenue every month. The team also rewards its employees with trips to Disney World or Las Vegas if they achieve certain goals or milestones. Additionally, the Bananas provide health insurance and retirement plans to their full-time employees.
Savannah Bananas team Net Worth
The net worth of Savannah Bananas is not publicly available. However, based on some estimates from Kona Equity, the team’s revenue in 2024 was $3.4 million. Assuming a conservative profit margin of 10%, the team’s net income would be $340,000. If we apply a valuation multiple of 10 times earnings (which is typical for sports franchises), the team’s net worth would be around $3.4 million.
However, this estimate does not take into account the intangible assets that the Bananas have built over the years. These include their brand recognition, fan loyalty, social media presence (with over six million followers on TikTok), media exposure (with an ESPN+ docu-series called Bananaland), and intellectual property (such as their Banana Ball rules). These factors could significantly increase the value of the team beyond its financial performance.
Savannah Bananas Earning Career
The Savannah Bananas have had a remarkable earning career since their inception in 2016. Despite starting with only one season ticket sold and facing skepticism from the local community, they have managed to sell out every home game since then (over 100 games) with an average attendance of 4,000 fans per game. They have also created a waitlist for tickets that has over 550,000 people on it. The team charges $18 for general admission tickets and $15 for group tickets. Assuming an average ticket price of $16.5 and full capacity at every game (4 x 100 = 400), the team’s ticket sales revenue would be around $6600 per game or $660000 per season (100 games).
The ticket sales are not the only source of income for the Bananas. They also generate revenue from merchandise sales (such as t-shirts, hats, jerseys, and banana suits), concessions (such as food, drinks, and snacks), sponsorships (such as local businesses and organizations), and streaming (such as ESPN+ and TikTok). The team does not disclose the exact figures for these revenue streams, but they are likely to be substantial given the popularity and demand for the Bananas’ products and services.
Background
The Savannah Bananas are more than just a baseball team. They are also a family of passionate and creative individuals who share a common vision and mission. The team consists of players, coaches, staff, and fans who have their own personal stories and backgrounds. Here are some of the personal life details of some of the Bananas:
- Jesse Cole: The owner and founder of the Bananas, Jesse is a visionary leader who believes in making baseball fun and entertaining for everyone. He is married to Emily, who is also his business partner and co-owner of Fans First Entertainment. They have a son named Maverick, who was born in 2019. Jesse is known for wearing a yellow tuxedo at every game and event, which he says represents his personality and brand. He is also the author of two books: Find Your Yellow Tux and Banana Ball.
- Tyler Gillum: The manager and coach of the Bananas, Tyler is a former college baseball player and coach who joined the team in 2017. He is responsible for recruiting and developing the players, as well as implementing the Banana Ball rules and strategies. He is also an avid traveler and adventurer who has visited over 40 countries. He is married to Kelsey, who is a nurse practitioner.
- Malachi Mitchell: One of the star players of the Bananas, Malachi is a speedy outfielder who can hit, run, and field with excellence. He is also a talented dancer who performs flips and splits before every game. He describes himself as the “fastest man in baseball” and has a friendly rivalry with fellow outfielder Bill LeRoy. He is from Atlanta, Georgia and attends Georgia State University.
- Bill LeRoy: Another star player of the Bananas, Bill is a powerful hitter who can hit home runs with ease. He is also a charismatic entertainer who sings songs, tells jokes, and interacts with fans during the games. He has a friendly rivalry with fellow outfielder Malachi Mitchell. He is from Naperville, Illinois and attends North Georgia University.
- Kara Heater: The director of entertainment for the Bananas, Kara is in charge of creating and executing the entertainment plan for every game. She oversees the dancing players, the dad bod cheerleaders, the banana nanas, the breakdancing coach, the pep band, and other performers. She also hosts the pre-game show on TikTok with Jesse Cole. She is from Savannah, Georgia and graduated from Georgia Southern University.
How Much Do They Make For Each Game?
As mentioned earlier, the average salary for Savannah Bananas employees is around $84,616 per year or $41 per hour. Assuming an average workday of eight hours and an average workweek of 40 hours, this translates to $1648 per week or $329 per day. If we divide this by two (assuming half of the workday is spent on preparing for or playing in a game), we get $164 per game.
However, this does not include the bonuses and incentives that the Bananas offer to their employees based on their performance or achievements. For example, every employee receives a share of the merchandise sales revenue every month. The team also rewards its employees with trips to Disney World or Las Vegas if they achieve certain goals or milestones. Additionally, some employees may receive tips or donations from fans or sponsors for their entertainment or service.
Therefore, it is difficult to estimate exactly how much each employee makes for each game, as it depends on various factors such as their job title, department, location, education level, skills, experience, and performance.
Conclusion
The Savannah Bananas are a baseball team that has revolutionized the game with their fun and innovative approach. They have become a sensation on social media and beyond with their entertaining stunts and viral videos. They have also achieved success on the field with their Banana Ball rules and strategies. They have sold out every home game since 2016 and have created a huge fan base that loves them.
The Bananas are also a profitable business that generates revenue from various sources such as ticket sales, merchandise sales, concessions, sponsorships, and streaming. They pay their employees well and offer them bonuses and incentives based on their performance or achievements. They also have a high net worth that reflects their value as a sports franchise.
The Bananas are more than just a baseball team. They are also a family of passionate and creative individuals who share a common vision and mission. They have their own personal stories and backgrounds that make them unique and relatable.